International offices: guide

Germany

Our Germany office opened in April 2018 and works with our Scottish Development International Office in Düsseldorf to deepen Scotland’s political, economic and cultural relationships with Germany. 

Team Scotland in Germany promotes engagement across devolved matters and supports collaboration between Scottish and German business, innovation and research, educational and cultural organisations.

The office is located within the UK Embassy building in central Berlin.

The work of the Scotland in Germany network includes:

• increasing influence and engagement with Germany
• encouraging increased collaboration between our business, research, education and cultural institutions
• supporting Scottish ministers, in particular in the areas of trade and investment, higher education, research and innovation
• promoting trade and investment between German and Scottish businesses and organisations
• providing analysis on political and economic developments in Germany

We are committed partners in Europe and our work continues to contribute meaningfully to collective goals in Germany and across the EU.

Strategic objectives

Priorities for 2024 to 2025

Economy, trade and investment

Export growth

• in the context of “Scotland: A Trading Nation”, engage in economic diplomacy to protect and promote business engagement, influence the regulatory environment and showcase Scotland's strengths across key sectors including energy, technology and food and drink with German ministries, stakeholders and partners. Specifically, we will:
  • use the platform afforded Scotland by the Euros, and by Scotland’s winter festivals, to showcase Scottish food and drink to a wide German audience
  • communicate Scotland’s strengths in the space sector via events, targeted media and social engagement, and fostering closer cooperation with partner Länder
  • following the forthcoming publication of Germany’s Carbon Management Strategy, promote Scotland’s CCUS potential through engagement with relevant federal and Länder ministries and industry stakeholders
  • secure opportunities for collaborative policy exchange with German ministries on Scotland’s AI and data capabilities
• support 1200 Scottish businesses to develop international trade and to maintain and develop new markets across the financial and industrial technology, space, food and drink, renewable energy, and life science sectors

Inward investment

• in the context of Scotland’s Inward Investment Plan, engage in economic diplomacy to attract inward investment to Scotland, particularly in the identified opportunity area of energy transition. Specifically, we will:
  • host at least one bespoke event with existing German investors and potential investors in Scotland, to highlight opportunities for investment in the Scottish green hydrogen economy
  • support the preparations for a major Scottish offshore wind conference, ensuring well-targeted engagement with potential German delegates
  • support at least three inward trade delegations to Scotland, ensuring that strengths and investment opportunities are highlighted to visiting German businesses

Tourism

• in the context of VisitScotland’s Strategic Framework 2024 to 2027, work with VisitScotland and Global Scots to promote Scotland as a destination for responsible and inclusive tourism to a wide German audience. Specifically, we will:
  • use the platform afforded Scotland by the Euros to showcase Scotland as a visitor destination, organising at least one tourism-themed public event in a match city
  • building on a previous inward visit from Saxony to strengthen ties on sports tourism in particular

Climate change, biodiversity and renewable energy

Climate change

• engage in climate diplomacy to promote Scotland's climate ambition and net zero priorities, expertise and track record and support Germany and Scotland’s progress towards Net Zero. Specifically, we will:
  • building on our close relationship with German states and particularly Baden-Württemberg on climate (including via the Under2 coalition), organise at least one ministerial engagement in Germany with a focus on climate protection
  • through our engagement with German ministries at Federal and Länder level, promote awareness of Scotland’s groundbreaking work on loss and damage and secure opportunities for collaborative policy exchange
  • foster productive policy exchange between German and Scottish leads on approaches to decarbonising heating in buildings

Biodiversity

• develop and manage opportunities for collaboration with German partners on biodiversity in shared areas of interest. Specifically, we will:
  • support collaboration between German and Scottish cities in preparation for Biodiversity COP16, and in particular promote opportunities for close working with Berlin on the successor agreement to the Edinburgh Declaration
  • secure at least one opportunity for policy exchange on peat restoration with partner Länder

Hydrogen

• identify opportunities and intensify collaboration on hydrogen at state and federal level to ensure that Scotland is recognised as a hydrogen import partner for Germany and support the development of an export market. Specifically, we will:
  • work closely with the UK Government, German ministries and the German Consul General to take forward activities under the hydrogen pillar of the UK-Germany Energy and Climate Partnership, ensuring that Scotland’s capacity and interests are strongly represented
  • host at least one bespoke event with existing German investors and potential investors, to highlight opportunities for investment in the Scottish green hydrogen economy and fill gaps in the supply chain
  • host at least one hydrogen research themed event, bringing together German and Scottish researchers to discuss projects of shared interest
  • secure prominent representation for Scotland in at least three hydrogen-themed conferences in Germany
  • provide support for at least one inward trade mission from Germany to Scotland with hydrogen as a focus, ensuring that strengths and investment opportunities are highlighted to German businesses

Offshore wind

• identify opportunities and intensify collaboration on offshore wind at state and federal level across offshore wind, to help strengthen the sector by developing joint learning and technology exchange, trade, investment and research opportunities. Specifically, we will:
  • work closely with the UK Government and German ministries to take forward activities under the North Sea Renewables pillar of the UK-Germany Energy and Climate Partnership, ensuring that Scotland’s strengths in floating offshore wind in particular are strongly represented
  • support the preparations for a major Scottish offshore wind conference, ensuring well-targeted engagement with potential German delegates

Reputation, relationships and influence

Scottish connections

• foster our Scottish diaspora and affinity diaspora networks in Germany, supporting delivery of the Scottish Connections Framework. Specifically, we will:
  • co-organise at least two events in Germany with or on behalf of our diaspora community, to promote and grow our strong network of friends of Scotland
  • prepare an analysis of Scottish affiliated organisations and points of connection in Germany, and use the results to increase our network and promote individual and organisational use of the Scottish Connections platform
  • support the GlobalScot network, including by making referrals and engaging with existing GlobalScots in country, using the GlobalScot website to connect with GlobalScots and promote trade and investment focused activities
  • facilitate at least one Scottish university roadshow/recruitment event

Cultural diplomacy and intercultural exchange

• showcase Scotland's distinctive cultural and shared heritage, including its indigenous languages, literature and music. Specifically, we will:
  • take the opportunity of the Euros, and the platform afforded to Scotland by the opening match against Germany as host country, to showcase Scottish sporting culture and music with a programme of ministerial and cultural engagement in Berlin and the match cities
  • organise a programme of events to mark our winter festivals and bring Scottish culture to a wider audience, with a dual focus on senior decision makers and on our Scottish diaspora
  • coordinate an autumn programme to showcase Scottish culture to a German audience and strengthen and grow our Scottish connections
  • consider options to promote an increase in mobility of German language assistants to Scotland, to support Scottish educational attainment and the professional development of German participants
• use the opportunity of Scotland’s Euro 2024 participation to:
  • showcase Scottish music and culture to a wide audience in Germany, through platforming at fan events in Berlin and Munich
  • create opportunities for Trade and Investment, notably around energy transition and especially green hydrogen
  • support education policy exchange between Edinburgh and Munich, also as part of the 70th anniversary of their twinning partnership
  • engage with the Scottish Connections community to create focal points around the games for Scottish diaspora and fans, together with SFA and Tartan Army
  • support Tartan Army Charitable initiatives in aid of social causes   

Higher education and research

• work with higher education and research stakeholders, including DAAD and other German higher education associations, to support student and researcher mobility and exchange between Germany and Scotland. Specifically, we will:
  • support at least three inward visits to Scotland with a focus on higher education and/or research, furthering our educational partnerships with German Länder and ensuring that both partners benefit from productive exchanges
  • facilitate at least one major academic conference with the aim of fostering working links between our universities and address shared challenges
  • identify and promote opportunities for research collaboration and investment 
  • seek to ensure that the Scottish higher education and research sector is represented in UK-German bilateral agreements on education, science and research  

Knowledge exchange and partnerships

• work with relevant partners to support civic and government-to-government links between Germany and Scotland. Specifically, we will:
  • ensure that Scotland and Scottish interests are strongly represented at the annual meeting of the reconvened UK-Germany Cultural Commission, using the platform to drive closer collaboration with German partners
  • undertake at least two engagements in support of existing Scotland-Germany twinning partnerships, including marking the 70th anniversary of the Edinburgh-Munich twinning
  • foster at least two new policy exchanges between Scottish and German ministries on topics of mutual interest

See previous strategic objectives in our website archive.

Contact

Head of Germany office: Catherine Reeve

Email: Germanyhub@gov.scot

Twitter/X: @ScotGovGermany

Telephone (reception): +49 (0) 30 204 570

Post:

Scottish Government Berlin Office
Wilhelmstrasse 70
10117
Berlin
Germany